As I sat at church watching all the candidates be baptized, there was a lady named Angela in the pool, and as Pastor Z. called her name, I thought of my mother. Whenever I hear Angela, I remember my mother, for it was her name. Although she passed away more than a decade ago, last night was the first time I realized my mother had never been baptized. I remember the day; it was strategic timing, as she and I talked on the phone. My then-husband had asked many times if she wanted to accept Christ into her heart as her personal Savior, but she would not accept the invitation until that moment. Thank God for his obedience in asking again. This time, she said yes, accepted Jesus in her heart, and prayed with him, but she was never baptized. I thought of the man who died on the cross with Jesus, who was with him that day in paradise, and thank God that she is still with him because of the faithfulness of my was-been to ask her to accept Christ.
Although I believe my mother would have been saved even if he hadn’t been diligent enough to ask that faithful day, he would have lost the opportunity to be used for God’s kingdom. My mother died not many years after that, and I took solace in the fact that she knew Jesus in her heart.
The context of the question Jesus asked this time is that he’s just finished a mission. The mission was for a nameless woman at a well. God had handpicked her and called her by name. Jesus only had to go and open his mouth. In order to do this, he had to be in the right place at the right time. How many of us have used that blanket statement, “I’m waiting on the right time, and right now is not that time!” When I finish school, I’ll lead the small group at church, when my children graduate high school, I’ll start serving on the missions team at church, or next year I’ll get baptized and join that church. My advice to you today is not to delay your obedience, for in doing so, you may miss an opportunity to be instrumental in the life of a person who needs to hear your voice.
When considering this world as a field, you’re already in it; why not work it? The truth is, you can take one of two positions: a spectator or a participator. I want to remind you that it’s far better to be a participator. This field needs laborers; the harvest is still plentiful today. Some people are lost and dying without Jesus in their hearts. They need to hear the message of God’s love and their redemption. You may look at this life and think, like Jesus pointed out in John 4:35, that his disciples viewed life in a way that gave allowances for tomorrow. “There’s still time, I don’t have to do anything today!” Jesus is saying; “Open your eyes and look around you, there are people who need ministry, and the mission is urgent.
TheGOoDLife Food for thought:
We may view things in this life and think kingdom invitations to others can wait, but God may see that invitation as one that can’t wait.
Remember, while you’re in the field, to love one another as God did, enough to talk about how to get eternal life.
The great commission is to make disciples… be sure this is top priority in your life as a believer.
KeviJ
